Cardinals break up losing streak, split with rival Raiders

By JASON VIOX / Daily Journal Sports Writer

PARK HILLS - Before Thursday the Mineral Area Cardinals had lost both ends of their last five doubleheaders. On Thursday, the Cardinals fell to the Three Rivers Raiders in the first game, but held off a comeback attemptby the Raiders in game two to break an 11-game losing streak and force a split.

Three Rivers 5, Mineral Area 3

Although both team had six hits, the Cardinals committed a pair of errors in the second inning which helped the Raiders. Three Rivers triumphed 5-3.

B.J. Underkofler was walked in the second inning, and Kieran Bradford singled, but an infield error moved both runners up a bag. Chris Hampton came through with a ground ball to give his team the lead. The bases were jammed with a pair of walks, then a wild pitch scored another run for the Raiders.

Ben Woodbury hit a ground ball back to pitcher Blake Jones, and Jones made a toss to third base for a tag, but the ball popped out of the glove when the tag was applied, and the bases were loaded again. Shawn Lee came through with a two-RBI single for a 4-0 contest. Evan Phillips hit a RBI ground ball to knock in Woodbury before the end of the frame.

Mineral Area's Tony Spencer kicked off the fourth inning with a double, then a ground ball by Brandon Crook moved Spencer to third. Tyler Stahl connected on a single to left field to knock Spencer in. Joaby Sikes doubled to drive in Stahl, then Ryan Blankenship quickly followed with a RBI double for their final run of the game.

The Cardinals had a chance to tie or take the lead in the sixth inning. Stahl singled, but was later caught trying to steal second. Sean Bard was walked, then Sikes singled with only one out. However, two strike outs ended the threat.

Lee went 2-4 for the Raiders and got the save. He threw the last two innings, gave up one hit, three walks, and struck out three Stahl and Sikes were both 2-3 for the Cardinals. Ryan Poole got the win for Three Rivers in five innings. He gave up five hits, three runs, no walks, and struck out four.

Three Rivers - 050 000 0 - 5 6 0

Mineral Area - 000 300 0 - 3 6 2

WP - R Poole 5i 5h 3r 3er 0bb 4k.

LP - B Jones 1 1/3i 4h 5r 4er 3bb 2k.

SV - S Lee 2i 1h 0r 3bb 3k.

Hitting:

Three Rivers - S Lee 2-4, B Woodbury 1-3, E Phillis 1-3, K Bradford 1-3, A Cella 1-2.

Mineral Area - T Stahl 2-3, J Sikes 2-3, T Spencer 1-2, R Blankenship 1-3. 2b - J Sikes, R Blankenship, T Spencer.

Mineral Area 7, Three Rivers 4

Three Rivers made some errors throughout the second contest, and it eventually came back to haunt them. The Raiders made five total errors, and Mineral Area took advantage with a 7-4 win.

Sikes kicked off the second inning with a lead-off single, then a wild pitch and a ground ball by Seth Kimrey moved Sikes to third. Aaron Miller drew a walk, and then attempted to steal second, but the pick-off throw was wild, and Sikes scored for a 1-0 edge.

Crook reached base on a throwing error, then two walked batsmen loaded the bases with one out in the third inning. Sikes hit a ground ball to the shortstop which could have been turned into a double play and ended the frame, but Bard made a great slide to break up the play as one run scored.

Blankenship hit a ground ball back to the pitcher, but the ball was mishandled, and one more tally reached home for a 3-0 contest.

Spencer reached first base on a well-placed bunt in the fourth frame, and a couple of mistakes by Three Rivers loaded the bases with one out. On a 3-2 count, Bard cleared the bases with a grand slam over the left-field wall for a 7-0 game.

Starting pitcher Jeremy Warren encountered trouble in the top of the sixth inning. Back-to-back singles from Woodbury and Preston DeSpain and a walked batter loaded the bags with one out. Woodbury later scored on a wild pitch. Daniel Mullis hit a ground ball to drive in another tally. Eight straight pitches loaded the bases again, then Cory Grewe took over the pitching duties.

Grewe's first pitch was a wild one that scored Andrew Cella. A throwing error scored another run for the Raiders, but a strike out ended the threat.

Spencer went 2-4 with a double for the Cardinals. Warren got the win in five and two-thirds of an inning. He gave up four hits and three earned runs. Grewe pitched the remainder of the game as he walked one and struck out two. DeSpain was 2-2 for Three Rivers.

Mineral Area (8-30) will travel to St. Charles on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Three Rivers - 000 004 0 - 4 4 5

Mineral Area - 012 400 x - 7 7 1

WP - J Warren 5 2/3i 4h 4r 3er 6bb 2k.

LP - J Petty 3 1/3i 3h 7r 3er 4bb 2k.

Hitting:

Three Rivers - P DeSpain 2-2, B Woodbury 1-3, B Underkofler 1-2. 2b - B Underkofler.

Mineral Area - T Spencer 2-4, B Crook 1-2, T Stahl 1-2, S Bard 1-3, J Sikes 1-2, S Kimrey 1-3. 2b - T Spencer. GS - S Bard.